You already know that PansJunction is your one-stop solution for getting recommendations on pans to buy. On this website, we test the pans and provide you with reviews and feedback, making it easy for you to make the purchase. A lot of hard work goes in the background while the reviews are being written. The pans are tested comprehensively to ensure that we cover all use cases. This helps us understand how the pan will perform on your hob. So basically, to test the pans, we cook everything in the PansJunction Lab, and we document the results.
We test pans through a series of tests, and in this section of the website, we will share more information on how we test pans in our labs. Let us go through the details now.
What We Consider Before Testing the Pans?
- Type of Pan – The first thing that we consider before starting the test is the type of pan. We get a lot of milk pans, frying pans and saucepans for testing. Some of the test cases change as per the type of pan.
- Coating – Next, we look at the type of coatings on the pan. We get pans with Teflon coating, Ceramic coating and even uncoated pans. This is another factor to consider. In addition, the pans with ceramic coating are the safest.
- Source of Heat – We also check the compatible source of heat. We try to put the pan through induction, gas and ceramic hobs to judge the efficiency of the pan.
Tests by Types of Pan
- Milk Pan – The milk pans are the easiest to test. We simmer milk in the milk pan to understand the efficiency. We also check if the residue is sticking on the sides of the pan.
- Frying Pan – Frying pan requires more extensive testing. We fry eggs, sauté vegetables, and fry meat on the pan to get an idea about heat retention, even cooking and temperature control. We also check if the frying pan can take the claimed temperature.
- Saucepan – For saucepans, we cook vegetables, meat and onions on the pan to look at the stains that are left behind. We check the efficiency of the pan by boiling water, and we even make sticky sauces like caramel to test the non-stick nature of the pan.
What do We consider After the Cooking is Done?
- Even Cooking – We first check if the pan is cooking evenly. We look at the browning to understand the heat distribution pattern. The best way to test is by cooking eggs or pancakes.
- Scrub Test – We also put the pan through the scrub test and see if there is any damage to the coating. If the manufacturer claims that the pan is dishwasher safe, then we test the pan in the dishwasher as well.
- Ease of Cleaning – The pan should be easy to clean. If there is more residue on the pan, it may become difficult to clean it. Anything sticking on the pan should be removed with just a wipe. So, we clean the pan and document the results.
- The Burn Test – On regular days, there are times when you forget the pan on the hob. This usually burns your food, but what is the impact on the pan? We check that by deliberately burning some of the food on the pan. This also gives us an idea of how easy it is to clean the mess.
- The Drop Test – We also conduct a drop test from the counter height. We see if there is any damage to the handle or if there is wrapping in the pan. This gives us an idea of the quality of the material used.
- Change in Appearance of the Pan – During every step, we try and asses the pan for discolouration, warping, peeling and change in size. This gives us an idea about the quality of the pan and the coating.
- Grip & Handle – The handle of the pan is also very important. To look at the grip, we also test whether the heat is transferred to the grip. The grip should be adequately insulated.
Compiling the Results
We record the observations during and after the tests. Once we have the readings, we mark them on a pre-set scale, and we compile the scores of all these pans. We have given a fixed weightage to every point that we test the pan for. After getting the final score, we document the results and share a review based on the results.
